Strawberry Cake
by Forever in Your Heart
Summary: Because true love is best friends. And maybe cute boys with cake.


"You're killing the foam," Katniss points out and Madge blinks, comes back to the moment.

"Huh?" she asks, can feel her cheeks start to heat up at being caught spacing out.

"The foam," Katniss repeats, points at Madge's mug. Madge looks down at her hot chocolate and sees that she's been stirring absentmindedly this whole time, effectively killing the whip cream on top.

"So?" Katniss asks and Madge looks back at her in confusion.

"So what?"

Katniss rolls her eyes."What's wrong?"

Madge thinks of saying 'nothing', but she doubts Katniss would believe her. Her eyes drift a little over Katniss' head and land on the shiny cupid hanging from the ceiling. She sighs.

"Well, it's just...this was supposed to be our fist Valentine's Day together, but Gale's busy all day." Katniss' eyebrows draw together and she looks like she might say something, so Madge hurries to continue, "I mean, I'm not angry at him or anything, and it's not really that important. I'm used to spending it alone, and I don't need a day to know Gale loves me, I already know that." She pauses for a moment and Katniss looks a little lost.

Madge sighs. "But...I guess it's just a little sad, having to spend this one alone when I actually have someone to spend it with. And you don't need to say anything, Ms Valentine's-Day-is-totally-pointless, I know I'm being silly. I just..." Madge trails off in a sigh, wishes paper hearts weren't mocking her from every corner of the cafe. Katniss doesn't say anything and Madge doesn't look at her, doesn't need to see that Katniss thinks she's being stupid.

"Why don't you come to my place," Katniss says and Madge jerks her head up in surprise.

"What?" she asks because Katniss tends to turn into a hermit on February fourteenth, hides away to avoid what she thinks is the dumbest "holiday" around.

"We could...watch movies and stuff," Katniss answers, sounds a little embarrassed.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I mean, I'd probably be sitting at home watching movies anyway. Why not do it with you?"

Madge beams.

* * *

Madge shows up to Katniss' on Sunday morning, decked out in her pyjamas and Katniss answers the door, still sporting _her_ pyjamas.

(because what's the point of an all day movie marathon with your best friend if you're not going to do it in your pjs?)

They make breakfast, the whole shebang, French toast, eggs, hash browns, bacon, toast and all sorts of fruit. And Madge maybe dyes some of it red and pink, makes Katniss frown, because she is apparently allergic to anything Valentine's Day related. Madge rolls her eyes.

"It's festive," she says and Katniss clearly disapproves, is actually no fun at all. The food is delicious but you'd never know it from watching Katniss, who eats everything with a long suffering look.

Madge is pretty sure if she rolls her eyes any harder, they'll roll right out of her head.

They curl up on the couch and mock bad movies all morning, laugh so hard Madge almost snorts out her apple juice.

(but never romances. Katniss has standards after all)

At lunch they order pizza and make cupcakes while they wait. Katniss looks comically offended when Madge dyes them pink, frosts them in red with white and pink heart sprinkles on top.

"Now you're just ruining perfectly good cupcakes."

Madge rolls her eyes with a laugh.

The pizza arrives and the high school boy delivering it smiles widely, leans against the doorframe.

"Happy Valentine's Day ladies," he almost purrs and Madge has to hide behind the door to keep her giggling under control. Katniss scowls and snatches the pizza from him, shoves exact change at him with a sour face. He winks and is halfway through a thank you when Katniss shuts the door in his face, stalks to the kitchen with a dirty look. Madge fans her face to try and calm down until Katniss opens the pizza, finds it baked into the shape of a heart.

"The universe hates me," Katniss groans and Madge doesn't stop giggling for a very long time. They play old board games in the afternoon, Madge dragging out her ancient _Sweet Valley High._

"The fact that the tagline for this game is "Can you find your boyfriend in time for the big date" bother me," Katniss says and Madge smirks.

"That's just cause you always lose."

Katniss doesn't deign that with a response.

(it's cause it's totally true)

They eat cupcakes for dinner and watch _Family Feud_ , make plans to go on and win that car.

"And who exactly would we bring? It is _Family_ Feud you know, and not "Friendly Feud"," Katniss points out.

"Well, you and Prim. Then we could say Gale is your cousin, because honestly have you seen yourselves? You could totally be related. And I'll be Gale's wife and then...one of Gale's siblings I guess?"

"So basically, we should lie our way onto Family Feud?"

"Shh, Katniss, shh."

Katniss rolls her eyes.

"And which sibling?"

They both stop and think for a second.

"Vick," they say in tandem, laugh to themselves.

"We'd totally kill it," Madge declares and Katniss' eyebrows go up.

"Sure. Illegally, but sure."

"Hush you, don't ruin my fun."

It's time to go home after _Celebrity Name Game_ and Madge gives Katniss a huge hug.

"Thanks, today was awesome."

Katniss shrugs. "Well, it was probably the least awful Valentine's Day I've ever had."

"Aww, thanks."

* * *

Madge goes home and runs herself a nice, warm bubble bath. She climbs in with a glass of wine and hums happily.

This is nice.

"Hope there's room in there for me."

Madge sits up in surprise, eyes wide and there's Gale, standing in the doorway. He's grinning, bag in hand and Madge's mouth pops open.

"What are you doing home?" she asks and Gale grins a little wider.

"Decided to ditch a little early. I mean, it's Valentine's Day after all." Madge beams and scoots over, gives Gale plenty of room. He puts down his bag and strips down, climbs in beside her. Madge leans in eagerly for a kiss and smiles against his lips.

"This is the perfect end to the perfect day," she tells him.

"Well, I might have something that'll make it even better," he says and Madge is beyond curious. He reaches over the side of the tub and picks up his bag. Madge recognizes it as being from Mellark's Bakery and her mouth immediately starts to water. Everything from Mellark's tastes like heaven.

(and that gets her thinking of Katniss "Romance is Gross" Everdeen, who totally has a thing for the cute baker boy. Not that Madge blames her, like at all, cause wowee, boy, _wow-wee_ )

Gale pulls out two forks and a tiny container and Madge claps her hands to her cheeks.

"Strawberry shortcake," she coos and Gale offers her a fork.

"Be my Valentine?" he asks and Madge takes the fork with a smile.

"I would, but Katniss beat you to it."

"Ouch," he says with a laugh and Madge snuggles a bit closer.

"Happy Valentine's Day," he says and Madge leans against his shoulder with a smile.

"Happy Valentine's Day."

And as cheesy as this is going to sound, it really, really _is_.


End file.
